The Dark Trials
by rusticsky
Summary: When Clove stumbles upon the ruins of four cat clans, she meets DarkClan, and quickly climbs the ranks. When she meets a member of the revolution, she learns that the Revolutionary Camp is stronger than she thought, and will be attacking. Clove must decide whether to join the revolution, or climb to the summit and lead the clan. (chapters fixed)
1. Prologue

**Here's an old, pretty decent fanfiction with far too many pop-culture references.**

INTRODUCTION

When the Dark Forest won, many cats fled in terror from the clans. Tigerstar took over, merging the clans into one and dividing the clan into four camps- Dark Camp, Skull Camp, Shadow Camp, and Phantom Camp. Each camp was to be led by one of Tigerstar's supporters, and cats would be able to rise through the camps by completing a simple yet hard trial. But Tigerstar had an issue- most of his supporters were dead. So he forced StarClan to revive the cats by taking the lives of innocents.

So with his new, ruthless leaders, Tigerstar had complete and total power. He held Firestar and those who were most supportive to him captive, being tortured daily. Little did Tigerstar know, for there was a rebellion who had their hearts set on defeating him...

PROLOGUE

"You think you're so good, Firestar," a voice hissed. Two cats stood with their shoulder blades rising as they got ready to pounce, "But you and I are just the same. Two souls fighting for freedom."

"You've tortured me for long enough. Now let my cats go," growled Firestar. His bright orange fur seemed to glow, but the brown tom kept it to himself. _Firestar relies on pity, _he reminded himself, _and you rely on strength. Remember what Thistleclaw told you. _

The brown tom lept at Firestar, and Firestar was thrown against a tree trunk. Firestar gazed up at the brown tom.

"Tigerstar you disgust me," Firestar hissed under his breath.

"Oh, so you've discussed me," purred Tigerstar in amusement, "seems like that would've happened by now."

"_Launch at him. Don't show those cats your weak!" Thistleclaw roared at Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw stood back, shocked and afraid._

"_Really?" he mumbled._

"_You are weaker than I-" Thistleclaw said, but Tigerpaw forced himself to run at the black kittypet. He was two times the size of the kitten, who didn't stand a chance. _

Tigerstar blinked into reality. His hackles were raised, and he spat, "Don't you dare beat me to the end, I want to see your face as you see yourself dying." Firestar gazed at the tom, a frown engraved into his face. Tigerstar threw his claws into the tom's stomach, shreding at the flesh. He repeatedly slashed it, and Firestar looked into the scarlet pool of his blood, and his face fell.

"You won…"

"Ha, ha ha! I killed Firestar!"


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

CLOVE: 24 moons old

Clove's olive green eyes opened, to see the bright rays of the sun shining into her bracken den. She could smell cats. Too many unfamiliar scents filled her nose. But to her it was a good sign. It meant she was getting closer to the clans her father Wasp had told her about.

"Maybe my father will be there," she assured herself, although the last she had seen of him was at the cat mill. He told her that he was once part of a clan called SkyClan, who had been searching for these clans.

Clove ducked out of her den, and checked for anything. When she saw that nothing had gotten stuck, she leaped out and made the den collapse. Clove trotted along, happily, going upstream. The small creek crawled down towards the twolegplace. Clove gazed back at the ruined den. Then, Clove walked away.

A day later, scents of cats completely blocked out all the others as Clove could see the water emptied into a huge lake. Clove stared in awe, as it was breathtaking. _This is where cats will be. _Clove dipped her head as she sighed in relief.

_Mrrow! _A flash of gray fur came before Clove's eyes, pinning her to the fluffy snow. It was a tom, with yellow eyes like gold.

"Who are you and why are you here?" he hissed, his voice rough like rock. Clove held her ground, her eyes ferocious with anger.

"Why should I tell you?" she spat, "You first." The gray striped tom sighed, and shaked his head.

"Darkstripe of DeathClan, leader of Skull camp. Now you," he introduced. Clove thrust him off of her.

"Clove, loner. And my wish is to join your clan," Clove whispered. Darkstripe nodded reluctantly.

"If it is your wish, my cats will accompany you to Dark camp," Darkstripe mewed. He pushed her into the camp, where he called to two of his cats, "Silverpaw! Rowanstrike! Come here!" Two skinny she-cats ran to Darkstripe, "Show Clove the way to Dark camp."

Once Darkstripe left, the three she-cats began walking.

"Is your name Clove? That's a strange name. I'm Silverpaw, and my parents are Ivypool and Hawkfrost. Do you like their names? I think they're brilliant. On the way can we stop and take a break? I just went hunting so I might get tired. How are you today? I'm fine," Silverpaw began to say.

"Does she normally talk this much?" Clove said to the brown she-cat, Rowanstrike.

"Every single day," purred Rowanstrike in amusement, "And I can never get that stupid cat to shut up." Clove smiled, and the three cats wandered off onto the moor.

Soon, they had reached the Dark camp.

"Fair warning, do the trial today. Onestar will talk your mouth off," whispered Silverpaw, "And you can join us."


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO  
CLOVE'S AGE: 24 moons

THE DARK CAMP TRIAL

Later that day, Clove walked over to Onestar, asking if she could do the trial.

"Let's do it now," said Onestar. "First, what is my favorite color?"

"Umm…" Clove was out of words, so she decided to joke around, "yourself?"

"No, but yes, that works too. Okay, so you must find the rabbit. It is hidden in the grass, and I can see it from here. Look around," Onestar said, and he left Clove to do her work. Clove gazed around, until she spotted some blood soaked grass, a blade or two. A few feet away was a dusted rabbit.

"I found it, Onestar," she muttered. Onestar smiled.

"Next task is to find the rabbit that is hidden in the hardest of scents," he pointed to a pile, and Clove quickly smelled the bloody rabbit. She could smell other disgusting scents, including fox dung, and plenty of herbs. She wobbled over, and daintily picked it up with a claw.

"Good job, now close your eyes. I'm going to place a paw on one of these items, and you are going to feel it and tell me what it is," Onestar said. Clove closed her eyes, and Onestar chose his item. Clove ran her paw over it, and it felt like a flower.

"A flower," she said. Onestar replied, saying it was correct. She opened her eyes, and he ran to the border, yelling as he ran.

"Tell me what I'm yelling!"

Clove sat, until she heard a noise. "All hail Tigerstar!"

She repeated it back to him, and he nodded.

"Good job, now you are done. Head over to Skull camp, where you were earlier. That is your new camp. From this moment on, you are a cadet," Onestar explained, before dashing to his den. Clove hurried to the camp, and hit the she-cats den for the night.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

CLOVE'S AGE: 26 moons

THE SKULL CAMP TRIAL

It had been nearly two moons since Clove had graduated, and she had been training for her trial. She had been told this trial had to do with smarts, and Clove was one of the most clever cats since birth. Unless it had to do with the clans. But Clove had learned quite a bit since she joined DarkClan.

_I'm ready. Just focus. _Clove leaped onto the camps trial platform and waited for Silverpaw, Rowanstrike, and Darkstripe. The two she-cats were doing their trials along with her. Darkstripe soon walked over to her, with Rowanstrike and Silverpaw close behind.

"It's time," Darkstripe said, "Sit up on the bar, and wait for the first question."

Clove walked over to a stonecut bar of rock rolled over on its side and waited for instruction.

"Okay, so you're going to answer the question when I ask you it. Clove, you are up first. What is the name of Tigerstar's mortal enemy who sits in the prison being tortured to death?" asked Darkstripe.

"Firestar!" answered Clove. Darkstripe nodded.

"Rowanstrike, what is the name of the first clan leader?" asked Darkstripe.

"Tall Shadow, more correctly known as Shadowstar?" she stuttered, shaking. Darkstripe shook his head.

"Sorry, Rowanstrike, but you have failed this trial," suddenly, a beam of light struck Rowanstrike, and she disappeared, "If you fail, I send you to Dark camp." Darkstripe sighed, "Now Silverpaw, what is the most famous battle in the history of Dark Clan?"  
"The Dark Forest battle," she answered.

Darkstripe nodded, "You both passed, now Clove step forward. It is time for you to have a clan name, after all you've been here for three moons. Clove, in the name of Tigerstar I give you the name Cloveleap, for your gracefulness and courage. Now, you two will move onto Shadow Camp. Good luck to both of you." Clove said goodbye to her old name, and accepted her new name- Cloveleap. Cloveleap and Silverpaw both walked towards Shadow Camp, their heads held high.

"I can hardly believe I'm going to see my father…" muttered Silverpaw. Cloveleap rested a paw on a rock.

"Your father is probably so proud of you," Cloveleap guessed. "My father would have." Silverpaw held her head low.

"No, he's probably going to yell at me, and ignore me," she sighed. "I guess that's what co-leaders do, though." Silverpaw sighed, shaking her head. Then she lifted it, trying to put on a forced smile. "I like your name, Cloveleap. It fits you."

"Thanks," Cloveleap said, before the two she-cats entered Shadow Camp.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Cloveleap'S AGE: 26 moons

ENTERING SHADOW CAMP

"Silverpaw? Is that really you?" a fluffy brown tom ran over to Silverpaw, who blushed. The two carried on a conversation, and Cloveleap stood there awkwardly. She didn't recognize anyone, except for Silverpaw. A gray she-cat walked over to Cloveleap, and smiled.

"Hello. I'm Cinderheart, are you new? I think you'll like it here. Come with me," Cloveleap was taken to a hollow, where many kittens played.

"This is the kit hollow. Few toms know about it. Queens stay here, from all camps," Cinderheart explained, "Its basically the she-cats den, because there is no set den. Feel free to invite your friend over here when she's done with Hawkfrost." The queen dipped her head, and left Cloveleap standing. Cloveleap sighed- not wanting to wait, and layed down. I've left my life behind. I'm a warrior now. I'm Cloveleap. She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

When Cloveleap woke up, she found kittens next to her, cuddling for warmth. She smiled, and carefully got herself up and out of the den. It was early in the morning, the sun hadn't even come up. But she could see a tom training at a tree, trying to climb to the top.

His haunches rose, as he leapt to the next branch. But after that he fell. His silver fur was lined with bruises, Cloveleap padded down to him.

"You're not doing it right," she said, pulling him up. She stepped forward to the training tree. She leaped onto the first branch, her claws digging into the old wood. She carefully leaped onto the next branch, flying in midair. She was a good five feet off the ground. She continued climbing, until she reached the top. Then she carefully jumped to the bottom.

"Oh, sure," he said sarcastically, "I'm Rippletail, by the way." he said with a chuckle.

"Cloveleap," she said, with a soft smile. Rippletail turned away, and with that so did Cloveleap.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Cloveleap'S AGE: 30 moons

SHADOW CAMP TRIAL

"Its time, Cloveleap and Silverstrike, for the Shadow trial! The object of the trial is to climb up the rock cliff. I will be watching from the top. Use as many branches or paw holds as you need. Go," Hawkfrost yowled, releasing Cloveleap off into the wilderness. Cloveleap stayed close to Silverstrike, and the two approached the wall.

Cloveleap quickly spotted two strong low branches, and jumped on them. There was a tall tree stump, perfect to jump onto. She raised her haunches, and leaped over, flying in midair. Once she was on the flat tree trunk, she was at least 12 feet in the air. Cloveleap saw a large slice in the cliff, where she could jump onto. But it was too far away. Cloveleap could see a branch though, and it reached out to the top of the cliff. She knew it was far, but Cloveleap could do it. She leaped out. Her paws reached out, and was going to miss the branch. But suddenly, she was thrust onto the branch, and she scurried across to the top.

"Good job," growled Hawkfrost, before waving her away, "Travel to Phantom camp. Silverstrike should join you soon." Cloveleap nodded and hurried off, traveling along the lake until she saw a cat. It was a brown tabby tom, with scars all over his body. He sat by a pool, his ears flapping in the wind.

"I knew you'd come. Darkstripe told me about you," the tom said. "No normal cat could've thrown him off… but you- I don't know what to think." He paused, gazing out over the water. "Head up to Phantom camp. I'll save this conversation for later."

Cloveleap shrugged, and walked up towards the camp. When she arrived, she could see so many strong cats, their fur glistening in the light. A black she-cat walked over to her, a frown on her face.

"Come on, newbie! Hurry up!" she whispered, bringing Cloveleap over to the side. "Don't smile or they'll think you're part of the revolution."

"Why? I smile all the time," Cloveleap whispered, "its just a figure of life."

"Just trust me," the black cat said.

"Who are you, anyway?" growled Cloveleap quietly.

"Hollyleaf, first commander," the black she-cat said. She quieted her voice, "member of the revolution."

"You're a member?" quietly gasped Cloveleap. Hollyleaf nudged her.

"Quiet! Its a secretly, not many people around here are part of it. Did you meet Cinderheart and Lionblaze at the last camp? They're part of the revolution. I didn't escape- I just joined it along the side. Listen- I can help you climb the ranks. I can help you blend in. Just promise me you won't tell anyone that I'm a member unless I tell you to. Promise?" asked Hollyleaf, with a complicated frown.

"I promise," Clove whispered, nodding. Hollyleaf smirked.

"Lesson one, get that smile off your face, you'll need to save it for later," Hollyleaf said. "Lesson two, go get some sleep."


End file.
